Five years ago, my girlfriend and I began planning our dream to leave Los Angeles and travel throughout North America in a self-converted van. In September of 2020, we finally pulled the trigger on #vanlife and purchased an empty Mercedes-Benz Sprinter cargo van that we found on Facebook Marketplace.

Over the next two years, and with zero construction experience, we spent every available weekend turning the van from an empty shell to a fully-functional, custom-built home on wheels. It went from this:

to this:

then to this:

and FINALLY...

Building this van was by far my most challenging life experience, and I’ve been through military training! The learning curve on custom construction was steep, and there weren’t always “how-to” tutorial videos. Each piece of aluminum and wood had to be custom shaped and assembled to achieve utility and aesthetic, and I had to become a plumber and electrician for the first time as well!

Needless to say, I am extremely proud of what my girlfriend and I accomplished, regardless of how incredible the final product turned out. We climbed mountains to build this van, and I’d love to share with you some of the lessons I learned that I believe have translated over to my professional career:

Don’t Buy Cheap Tools

Seriously….don’t do it! We started the project with $500 worth of low end tools from Lowes, and ended up buying or borrowing much better ones. Using cheap tools likely set us back a few months and certainly made the construction process more painful than it needed to be…. how hard can it be to just cut a straight line? It’s actually very difficult.

In business, or life, it’s the same thing: don’t take shortcuts if saving the money comes at the expense of growth. It is almost always worth it to pay extra for the high-quality equipment and services because you can rely on it to get the job done well.

Not All Improvements Add Value

I really wish that $750 custom aluminum floor frame we built meant anything to the next buyer of the van….but it won’t. I could’ve used wood for $100 and no one would’ve noticed. The same goes for the expensive, organic, foofoo wool we shoved in the wall as insulation instead of the cheap stuff from Home Depot. Do I regret these decisions? Somewhat. Will they help us sell the van later at a higher price? Not at all!

In #realestateinvesting, I see so many newer investors and homeowners make this mistake: they spend lots of money on items that will not increase the value of their property or protect it from a decrease in value. Common examples of this include solar panels, new windows, swimming pools, garage conversions, wine cellars, etc. If your goal is to spend the least amount of money necessary to increase the value the most, figure out which renovations will give you the best bang for your buck.

The Journey is More Fulfilling Than the Destination

We spent years building out this van, and each week we’d say “jeez, can’t wait for this stupid van to be done!” …..and then it was done! Looking back on the experience, the process of encountering new obstacles, researching solutions, and then implementing them was actually an incredibly satisfying experience. We constantly learned new skills and got to enjoy small wins on a regular basis. Now that the van is complete and we live in it full-time, the excitement is not the same. We love our van and are so proud of what we’ve built, but nothing can match the excitement of regular struggle, learning, adaptation, and accomplishment.

I feel the same way about my #multifamilyinvestments business. The process of assembling apartment deals and interacting with my investors is the best part. Signing closing documents and receiving checks at the end don’t always provide the same excitement for me as negotiating a contract or pitching opportunities.

Modern society has encouraged us to idolize success and fortune, and I agree it is important to have vision and motivation to reach your goals; however, it is also important to appreciate the journey and all the lessons it teaches.

Find a Great Partner

I’m very lucky that my girlfriend shared the van vision with me and played an equally active role in making it a reality. She was actually better with the power tools than I was!

We were not sure how a project of this size would impact our relationship, and we felt it would be "the ultimate test”. Naturally, we had disagreements, and it was not always easy….but we found a rhythm and saw it through to the other side without too many scars. We proved to ourselves that we could work together as a partnership to accomplish any goal. I don’t think the van would have gotten done, and certainly not to its current standard, without her involvement.

In business, it is so important to surround yourself with the right human capital. A strong partner can be the difference between success and failure, and more importantly, has a monumental impact on your mental health. I’ve worked with many partners in real estate, and there will be many more. Good partners are not easy to find, but will multiply your progress.

All You Need is a Roof

#apartmentinvesting made me a lot of money and helped me to realize what the truly important things are in life. A flashy car, jewelry, and a beach mansion are great things that most of us want, but they can’t give us long-term joy. Moving from a comfortable luxury apartment into a vehicle and selling almost all my possessions has helped me realize there is a diminishing marginal utility. After we have achieved shelter, food, and basic companionship, the rest isn’t as impactful. The excess s*** in our lives can provide more comfort, but often clouds our mental state and introduces so many unnecessary issues.

In the van, we have a bed, kitchenette, shower, workspace, and the great outdoors. We’ve got all we need to survive somewhat comfortably and we certainly don’t care about what our neighbor is driving or the nice landscaping in front of their house. Those things don’t matter to us. What matters are the experiences that will bring us personal fulfillment and expand our relationship.

Final Thoughts

This van became much more than just a van....and I think that's true of all major life experiences. My real estate business has become much more than just real estate, and my relationships have become much more than just transactions.

The meaning in our lives is found in the thick of it, when we are faced with challenges and are forced to ask "why continue" and then "how can I".

Every day, we choose this life knowing it's a constant struggle. Whether we realize it or not, it's actually this struggle that provides meaning and context.

So.... next time you take on a crazy project like building a van or starting a business, embrace the challenge and identify the deeper meaning behind it.

About The Writer

Elijah Brown is a real estate investor, entrepreneur, Army officer, and writer. While working as an investment analyst for Bank of America, and later as an associate and manager for Healthpeak Properties (S&P500 REIT), Elijah developed a love for real estate and began raising private capital to acquire over $100 million of apartment units across the United States. Elijah is the co-founder and managing partner of GoldHawk Capital, a real estate investment firm that raises capital from private investors to acquire multifamily buildings in Arizona.

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Phoenix, Arizona

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